Our service during the coronavirus crisis

Following the increasing number of safety measures advised by the government to limit the spread of coronavirus, Ermine Street Housing is aiming to provide an uninterrupted service to our tenants in what will become increasingly difficult circumstances.

There are some changes to our services:

Property visits postponed. Due to the current travel restrictions, property visits are postponed. Where check out dates have already been agreed, we will attend or arrange for one of our partner agents to attend.

Email instead of phone. We are not working in the office so the best way to contact us is via email. For repairs please email: Repairs.ESH@scambs.gov.uk. For all other enquiries: contact@erminestreethousing.co.uk. Our office voicemail will be checked remotely on a regular basis however there may be some delay in using this method of contact.

Rent. We understand that paying your rent may be an issue over the next few weeks and months. We encourage you continue to pay your rent and let us know if you encounter any difficulties. We will be understanding, and we will work together to get us through this crisis. Government has advised a cooperative approach, and we will of course, listen and be sympathetic to any financial hardship that you may face over the next few months. Contact us on contact@erminestreethousing.co.uk if you need further advice.

Repairs. Continue to report repairs by email to: Repairs.ESH@scambs.gov.uk .We will continue to respond to repairs, and our contractors will contact you to arrange an appointment.

Out of hours emergencies. Please call Mears on 0800 0851 313.

Gas safety checks: if you are clinically extremely vulnerable (shielded) please inform your landlord so they can rearrange the gas safety check for after your isolation period has ended (see full details below).

Gas safety checks

Government advice is that people who are clinically extremely vulnerable should minimise all interaction between themselves and others (also referred to as shielded people).

If you have been advised by the government that you fall into the extremely vulnerable (shielded) category, you should inform your landlord that you are shielding because you are medically vulnerable, so do not want an engineer in your home.

Your landlord can find out more about what is expected of them in respect of gas safety checks at this time on the Gas Safe Register. The landlord must rearrange the landlord`s gas safety check to take place after your isolation period has ended.

However if you smell gas, or if you have concerns about the safety of your appliances, you should call the gas emergency service provider on 0800 111 999, and switch off appliances until the gas emergency supplier or a registered gas engineer, has attended and advised that the appliances are safe to use.

Vulnerable tenants

Those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus (COVID-19) should be particularly careful in following social distancing measures.

People in this group include:

aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions)

under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (ie anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds):